Diagnostic Value of Three-Dimensional Computed Tomographic Angiography(3-DCTA) in Intracranial Aneurysm

ABSTRACT

The authors have evaluated the efficacy of three dimensional computed tomographic angiography(3-DCTA) in diagnosing intracranial aneurysm. This literature studied thirty five patients harboing forty intracranial aneurysms using dynamic CT scan with intravenous contrast enhancement. After injection of 2 mg/kg of nonionic contrast material(RayvistR) intravenously, rapid dynamic CT scanning with thin section was performed. Three dimensional reconstruction was performed using the GE 9800 HR surface-rendering method with a threshold of about 100 Hounsfield units(HU). The authors comparatively analysed this 3-DCTA with conventional cerebral angiography to determine aneurysmal detection, shape, direction, and its relationships to surrounding vessels. While 3-DCTA clearly detected 38 aneurysms, conventional angiography did 37 ones. There was no significant difference between 3-DCTA and conventional angiography in demonstrating aneurysmal direction, but 3-DCTA was superior to conventional angiography in demonstrating aneurysmal shape, its neck and surrounding vascular structures. 3-DCTA showed deliberate anatomy of aneuysm and adjacent vessels through 3 dimensional image, and its operative view is helpful in surgical planning. 3-DCTA might be expected to substitute for conventional angiography in the near future.